Bell 206B accident near Newport, Oregon, January 12, 1983
On January 12, 1983 at about 1:25 am local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N644PH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newport, Oregon (Newport Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 1983 · about 1:25 am local time
- Place
- Newport, Oregon · Newport Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N644PH · no longer on the register · serial 160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS LIFTING OFF WHEN THE LEFT SKID STUCK IN THE DIRT. THE ACFT DID A DYNAMIC ROLLOVER WHEN THE LEFT SKID REMAINED STUCK AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF. THE PILOT HAD JUST ON-LOADED TWO PASSENGERS BOTH ON THE LEFT SIDE. WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR AND NONE OF THE OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 867 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 774 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,403 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 1, 1982; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mountain Air Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.